Dynamo 4, Chicago 3 - postgame notes

The
Houston Dynamo broke a 10-game MLS winless streak with an emotional 4-3 win
over the Chicago Fire Saturday night behind a Herculean effort from captain
Brian Ching, who scored a hat trick that included a spectacular bicycle kick
and the dramatic game-winner in the 85th minute.

The
win lifts the Dynamo into a tie for 11th place in MLS with 23 points, just five
points behind the Colorado Rapids, who currently occupy the eighth and final
playoff spot. Houston plays at Colorado next Saturday.

The
Dynamo had been winless in league play for almost exactly three months, going
0-6-4 in league play since a 2-0 win over D.C. United on May 22.

Brian
Ching’s hat trick was the fourth in Dynamo club history and his first since a
four-goal performance in the team’s opening game on April 2, 2006. The other
hat tricks came from Brad Davis (June 21, 2007) and Nate Jaqua (September 8,
2007). It was Ching’s first multi-goal game since August 1, 2009, when he
scored two goals in a 4-3 win over D.C. United. In netting the hat trick, Ching
doubled his 2010 goal total from three to six goals, most on the team. Ching
now has 71 goals in his MLS regular season career.

Defender/midfielder
Richard Mulrooney, who began the game at right back and finished it at central
midfield, had a hand in all four Dynamo goals, which all came from set pieces.
He was credited with two assists, his first multi-assist game since August 20,
2008.

Midfielder
Lovel Palmer scored the other Dynamo goal, driving home an indirect free kick
to put Houston up 2-0 early in the second half. It was Palmer’s fourth goal of
the year in all competitions but his second in MLS play.

For
the Dynamo, defender Bobby Boswell made his 20th MLS start of the season, the
sixth consecutive year in which Boswell has made at least 20 starts. Midfielder
Brian Mullan made the 225th start of his MLS career. Geoff Cameron started at
center back for the second consecutive game and made the 60th appearance of his
MLS career. Forward Dominic Oduro made his 50th career appearance for the
Dynamo in all competitions and his first start in MLS play since May 29. Oduro
and Brian Ching started together for the first time since April 1.

The
Dynamo set a season high by scoring four goals, the most Houston has scored
since a 5-1 win over Árabe Unido in Champions League play on September 22,
2009. In league play, the Dynamo last scored four goals in a 4-3 win over D.C.
United on August 1, 2009.

The
Dynamo started without defender Adrian Serioux (hamstring) and midfielders Corey
Ashe (hamstring) and Brad Davis (quad), although Davis entered as a
substitute.